Opera Philadelphia
{{Short description|American opera company}}
File:"Written on Skin" at Opera Philadelphia (40580737271).jpg's Written on Skin]]
Opera Philadelphia is an American opera company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly known as the Opera Company of Philadelphia, the company is the only artistic company in Philadelphia that produces grand opera. The company produces one festival in September (Festival O) and additional operas in the spring season, encompassing works from the 17th through the 21st century.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/arts/music/opera-philadelphia.html|title=Ambitious Opera Philadelphia Announces Its New Season|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 March 2018|last1=Chow|first1=Andrew R.}} The company stages productions at Academy of Music in Philadelphia.
History
The Opera Company of Philadelphia was established in 1975 with the merger of the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company (PLOC) and the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company (PGOC); two organizations which had competed with one another for many years.{{cite news| url=http://www.visitphilly.com/music-art/philadelphia/opera-company-of-philadelphia/| title=Opera Company of Philadelphia: Major works in the country's most historic opera house| work=www.visitphilly.com| access-date=2011-05-25| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107125820/http://www.visitphilly.com/music-art/philadelphia/opera-company-of-philadelphia/| archive-date=2011-11-07| url-status=dead}} Adele W. Paxson, who headed the PLOC, was appointed the first president of the company's board, a position she held for many years. Max Leon, conductor and general manager of the PGOC, became the company's first general manager, and Carl Suppa became the company's first artistic director. All three individuals were largely responsible for arranging, planning, and executing the merger.{{cite news | url=https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=FB0F12F63E5E157493C7AB1788D85F418785F9|title=Opera Merger in Philadelphia|work=The New York Times|date=March 25, 1975| access-date=June 26, 2009}} In 1976 the company presented the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's The Hero.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110220112954/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,914228,00.html Music: Souvenir Opera], Time, William Bender, June 14, 1976
At the end of the 1977–1978 season both Leon and Suppa left the company. As a result, J. Edward Corn was appointed the company's second general manager; subsequently Julius Rudel became an artistic consultant for the company.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/13/archives/notes-on-people.html|title=Notes on People|work=The New York Times|author=Albin Krebs|date=May 13, 1977| access-date=June 26, 2009}} In 1980, Corn left the company to become the director of the National Endowment for the Arts' new opera and musical theater program.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/10/arts/j-edward-corn-64-an-opera-manager.html|title=J. Edward Corn, 64, an Opera Manager|work=The New York Times|date=November 10, 1997| access-date=June 26, 2009}} Margaret Anne Everett, the OCP's director of educational and community services since 1977, was initially appointed the company's acting manager and then officially became the company's third general manager. She remained in that position for fourteen years.{{cite news | url=http://www.cpanda.org/pdfs/csob/2201.pdf|title=News: Opera Companies|work=Central Opera Service Bulletin|volume=22|issue=1|date=Spring 1980| access-date=June 26, 2009}}
In March 1990, Everett resigned from her post. Jane Grey Nemeth, director of the OCP's Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition at the time, became the company's acting general director. In January 1991, the company named Robert B. Driver its general director.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/26/arts/opera-in-philadelphia-names-new-director.html?scp=1&sq=%22Robert%20Driver%22%20opera&st=cse|title=Opera in Philadelphia Names New Director|work=The New York Times|date= January 26, 1991| access-date=June 26, 2009}} In March 2009, the company announced the return of Driver to the post of artistic director, and the appointment of David B. Devan, OCP's managing director since January 2006, as the OCP's executive director.{{Cite web |url=http://www.operaphila.org/backend/News/csNews.cgi?database=press.db&command=viewone&id=20&op= |title=David B. Devan Appointed Executive Director of Opera Company of Philadelphia |access-date=2009-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725205531/http://www.operaphila.org/backend/News/csNews.cgi?database=press.db&command=viewone&id=20&op= |archive-date=2011-07-25 |url-status=dead }} Devan was appointed general director in February 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/peter_dobrin/20110208_Opera_Company_names_David_B__Devan_general_director.html|title=Opera Company names David B. Devan general director|date=February 8, 2011|author=Peter Dobrin|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer}} Devan announced that he will step down in June 2024.Peter Crimmins (August 15, 2023){{Cite news|url= https://whyy.org/articles/opera-philadelphia-david-devan-stepping-down|title=Opera Philadelphia’s leader announces departure|website=WHYY PBS NPR|access-date=2024-03-15}}
In 2013, the company renamed itself Opera Philadelphia and adopted a new logo.{{cite news | url=http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-29/news/36637974_1_thaddeus-strassberger-verdi-s-nabucco-opera-productions | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411155118/http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-29/news/36637974_1_thaddeus-strassberger-verdi-s-nabucco-opera-productions | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 11, 2013 |author=David Patrick Stearns| title=Opera Philadelphia: New name, expanded reach| publisher=philly.com |date=Jan 29, 2013| access-date=Feb 21, 2013}} In August 2023, the company announced that Devan is to stand down as its general director and president on 31 May 2024, along with staff and expense reductions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite press release | url=https://www.operaphila.org/about/company-updates/ | title=Company Updates from the Board Chair | publisher=Opera Philadelphia | date=6 December 2023 | accessdate=2024-04-26}} In April 2024, the company announced the appointment of Anthony Roth Costanzo as its next general director and president, effective 1 June 2024.{{cite press release | url=https://www.operaphila.org/about/news-press/pressroom/2024/general-director/ | title=Anthony Roth Costanzo appointed General Director and President of Opera Philadelphia | publisher=Opera Philadelphia | date=25 April 2024 | accessdate=2024-04-26}}{{cite news | url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/opera-philadelphia-anthony-roth-costanzo-20240425.html | title=Anthony Roth Costanzo is named Opera Philadelphia's new leader | work=Philadelphia Inquirer | author=Peter Dobrin | date=2024-04-25 | accessdate=2024-04-26}}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/arts/music/anthony-roth-costanzo-director-opera-philadelphia.html | title=Anthony Roth Costanzo, Star Countertenor, to Lead Opera Philadelphia | work=The New York Times | author=Javier C. Hernández | date=2024-04-25 | accessdate=2024-04-26}}
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist}}
=Other sources=
- David Patrick Stearns, [http://www.operanews.com/philadelphia/ "The Philadelphia Story: Things are looking up, operatically speaking, in the City of Brotherly Love"], Opera News (New York), Vol. 78, No. 9, March 2014
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.operaphila.org/}}
{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Opera Company Of Philadelphia}}
Category:Musical groups established in 1975
Category:Culture of Philadelphia